Yes to Yarn

Popular Needlework Crafts Go Green

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Whether for function, decoration or personal gifting, the skillful hobbies of yarn arts such as knitting, quilting, weaving, stitching, sewing, crocheting and macramé are going strong. The difference these days is that doing it eco-responsibly is enhancing the process.

“More people are making and hand-dyeing their own yarn,” says blogger Ann Budd, of Boulder, Colorado, former editor of Interweave Knits magazine and author of Knitting Green. “The results are beautiful with different color combinations, and even striping.”

Also, more yarn is American-sourced. “Shearing and dyeing are done here to cut down on the overall carbon footprint,” explains Budd, who conducts workshops for shops and clubs, plus two annual learning retreats. This year’s are in Savannah, Georgia, from April 26 to 29, and in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, from September 20 to 23.

For many needlework fans, charitable volunteering keeps their fingers flying. Members of the nonprofit Mittens for Detroit make mittens, gloves, hats and lapghans for children and adults in need. Donna Davis, of Roswell, New Mexico, has knitted hats for African newborns, wool items for Eastern European orphans and scarves for American artists. Learn more at KnittingForCharity.org.

This article appears in the February 2018 issue of Natural Awakenings.